Using repurposed empty plastic bottles, we created time capsules we were planning on burying in our own individual backyards.

Each student completed a a pre-prepared sheet with information about their daily lives, drew a picture of them participating in their favorite activities, and then some decided to make jewelry to include in the bottle. Then we decorated the bottles with sharpies, and tape.

We started the lesson by talking about famous truth tellers and the need to accurately record history. We went over the photographs of Margaret Bourke White and discussed how it is important to accurately record and talk about historical events.

Native American Talking/Listening Dolls

During Native American Appreciation week, we talked about the traditions of Native American Talking/Listening Dolls.

Each student was given some clay, basic carving tools, and toothpicks and given the assignment to create an innovative listening/talking doll. They were instructed to have the shape of the doll be reflective of their intended purpose.

Design Your Own City - Using recyclables

During our theme week "Our world- building community" week we learned about basic city planning principles and the history of creating public space for general use. We talked about the planning of traditional cities and how progressive city planning can have a transformative effect on the evolution of city communities. We talked briefly about sustainable construction principles and about encouraging cities to value green buildings.

The younger children were given markers and a mural sized pieces of paper and were directed to draw a city. The site director guided them to think about including the necessary buildings, infrastructure and public space.

The older children were given the same size piece of paper, markers and a variety of collected recyclables. They were instructed to create a city using the materials, to decide how the city would be powered and to think about adding the features of sustainable construction that we had discussed into their city's design.

Group Mural Painting of the Hudson River Valley

During our "Hudson River- the beauty in our backyard" week, we created this beautiful mural. We sketched a basic landscape onto mural paper, set out paints, brushes and water, and let the children paint this landscape.

It was absolutely beautiful to see them working together created a community creation and as we painted we talked about what makes our area so beautiful, special and worthy of protecting.

Group Gingerbread House Project: Donated to local firehouse

The children decorated their own cutout of a tree and when we combined them to decorate this box which was transformed by the trees and some silver spray paint into an enchanted wood fit for a special gingerbread house. We donated this gingerbread house to our local firehouse.

Design Your Own River Monster who has special powers against pollution

This project could be done in any area. We talked about pollution, local environmental groups and the cleanup projects which had taken place locally to restore and elevate the breathtaking beauty of our Hudson River Valley.

Students were given Model Magic and instructed to create a river monster who had a special power to clean up the environment in some way. Students were asked to be able to explain their River Monster's special skill, how they moved, if they could communicate and if the humans in their environment knew about them.

Make your own cave drawings

During the theme week "The Universality of Art" we talked about cave drawings from every corner of the world. We looked at photographs of famous cave drawings and talked about how remarkable it is that so many of the cave drawings look so similar even though they were drawn by people who lived thousands of miles from each other and were drawn over a considerable amount of time.

Using charcoal we recreated the effects of handprint cave art found in many caves and then students were asked to used the charcoal to draw pictures that told stories.

My Tree Self Portrait

During "Wood Week" we gave each student a life size piece of paper. We then walked around and traced their bodies in a position where their arms were the branches of the tree, their bodies were the trunk, and their feet were the roots.

Students were encouraged to decorate their tree by drawing leaves, a face, foliage, and even fruit.

We asked the questions: If trees could talk what would they say? Would we cut them down so easily if they could talk to us?

We talked about the ideas of sustainable logging, integrating green building materials, and the concepts of renewable vs finite resources.

Be Mine - Suminigashi Valentines

Suminigashi (also called Sumigashi) is an ancient Japanese paper marbling technique. It is super easy to do with children and the results are always met with surprise and excitement.

We prepared some hearts ahead of time and had the students write their messages on the hearts with pencil. Then we asked them to choose their colors and using a skewer, they created their own patterns in the water. We dipped the paper in their designs and beauty was the result.

Homemade Pinatas- Homegrown Fun!

We'll be posting step by step instructions about how to create this project but basically we used paper mache, newspaper, balloons, solo cups and some ingenuity to create Pinatas which could be filled at home with whatever the children's grownups chose to use.

*Of course, we had our own piñata to break open at the beginning of this activity, to get everybody excited about the project.

We did this activity during the Jewish High Holy days, where the idea of recognizing the "sweetness of life" is discussed by people of the Jewish faith tradition. We talked about how honey is a symbol of the things, people and places with make life beautiful or as they say "Sweet".

Native American Talking/Listening Dolls

During Native American Appreciation week, we talked about the traditions of Native American Talking/Listening Dolls.

Each student was given some clay, basic carving tools, and toothpicks and given the assignment to create an innovative listening/talking doll. They were instructed to have the shape of the doll be reflective of their intended purpose.

Watercolor Humanity Mobile

During Civil Liberties week week we talked about the idea that we're part of a beautiful mosaic of humanity.

We distributed six people made of watercolor paper with holes punched in their heads. We distributed watercolor palettes and instructed the students to make beautiful multicolor men. Before painting we went over basic watercolor techniques.

Using raffia ribbon we tied the men onto wood branches we had gathered before hand and created a special mobile.

Creating our own constitution

During presidents week we talked about the beginning of our nation's democracy and the creation of the constitution.

We had a group discussion about what we think would be good things to include in the laws of a land, and children had things to share, from the very funny to the beautifully profound.

Each student was then given a piece of paper and a pencil, and was asked to write the law they think should be included in the constitution. Then as a group we stained them in a tea bath, and when they were set, the site director burned their edges with a lighter and a sponge, in order to make them look as authentically old as possible.

Glow in the Dark Bandanas

During the "beauty of the night sky week" we talked about the constellations and the idea of mythological stories being recorded in the stars. In another activity we created constellations using black construction paper and glow in the dark paint.

I got several yards of black calico material from the fabric store and cut it into traditional bandana sizes. Each student was given their own bandana and directed to make a glow-in-the-dark design.

Creations ranged from constellations to drawings of their favorite animals.

Group Garden Mural

Together we talked about the things we find in our gardens. Using the book a student brought in as a guide, the students sketched flowers on the mural and then were given paints to create a picture together.

They added bees, the sun...even Miss D after the flowers were done!

Circus Peanut Men- Unsung Heroes Week - George Washington Carver

During "Unsung Heroes" week we learned about George Washington Carver. We talked about sustainable agriculture, crop rotation and innovative agricultural methods. Our discussion included talking about the political/social climate in which George Washington Carver lived, worked and excelled.

Using a specially provided worksheet, students drew drawings of what they thought, if they were a peanut, what they would aspire to be. This activity was motivated by George Washington CArver's passion for creating innovative peanut products.

Then, Miss D distributed circus peanut candies, toothpicks, glue, google eyes, construction paper, foam sheets and pipe cleaners. After a brief lesson on how to create a basic peanut man, she invited the students to design and create their own peanut creations.

More fun than a barrel of peanuts!

Group Tear Drop Collage - Water Week

During Water week we learned about water conservation and the fact that the earth is predominantly water. This was a group project where the older children and younger children were given their own tasks to complete for a beautiful result.

The younger children were given some paint and asked to cover together a massive tear drop which had been traced on poster board. The older children were given a variety of mediums and asked to cut out tear drop shapes from photographs and colors which were either things made possible by water, things made of water or actual photographs of running water.

If the earth cried, would anybody care or would they just celebrate when she stopped because when she cried she made them conscious of how much pain they were causing by the arrogant disregard of her feelings.?

Design your own reusable shopping bags

We had blank bags and put a plate inside each bag. We had the students trace the paper plate shape and asked them to draw a picture of the important things on earth or the earth itself.

We discussed, as we were working, the need to reuse, recycle and repurpose our shopping bags.

Starfruit printed greeting cards

During star week, we used starfruit, cut into several pieces as printing tools. We distributed card stock/watercolor paper to the students, talked briefly about composition and let them create beautiful works of art with this well known, underrated and completely accessible (to those interested in putting the work in), product of our green earth.

Learning Building Basics - Using marshmallows and toothpicks

With our students we discussed what makes builds structurally sound and the basics of foundations, core and shell. Students were given finite amount of toothpicks and marshmellows and asked to create their "building" . Some of the buildings were amorphous (as in the photograph) but some were intricate and demonstrated they were paying attention.

Tile Design - Learning about Graffiti and Tile Mosaic Art

Students learned about the history of tile mosaic art as well as the history of graffiti. We talked about socially conscious graffiti and about the preserved graffiti which has been discovered throughout the world has common themes of humor, pain, and truth.

Students were asked to sketch out their individual tile, and then were given Sharpie markers to create their own tile.

Gingerbread Houses and Purchasing Principles

Building week coincided with the holiday season, so I took this opportunity to combine the fun of decorating a gingerbread house and a lesson about the basics of purchasing and building.

I prepared basic graham cracker gingerbread houses from graham crackers and royal icing. I allowed the them to set overnight.

Younger Children: Everybody got a house, a certain amount of decoration items, and frosting. During our decorating time we discussed the basics of costs of building.

Old Children: Everybody was given some play money. We talked about the costs that go into building something; cost covered included ranged from the land to the materials, and from the the architecture to the design costs. We went around the group and the children had to use their play money to buy the paper plates the house would be sitting on (Symbol for the land), the frosting (concrete, framing), materials/fine finishes (decorations), the roof (labor costs) and the utensils they could use to decorate the house (symbol for the equipment necessary).

Easter EGG Animales

During the week preceding the Easter/Passover holiday we did a myriad of egg themed activities.

Prior to the holiday we saved egg cartons to be used as holders for eggs while they were being decorated. We hard boiled a ton of eggs, provided Sharpies, google eyes, feathers, pom noms, construction paper and glue, and let them go from there!

The egg pictured in the photo is a cheetah...OF COURSE!

Design your own Reusable Shopping Bag- Earth Day Activity

We had blank bags and put a plate inside each bag. We had the students trace the paper plate shape and asked them to draw a picture of the important things on earth or the earth itself.

We discussed, as we were working, the need to reuse, recycle and repurpose our shopping bags.

Feast of the Epiphany - Design your own watercolor crown

To introduce the Feast of the Epiphany we talked about the idea of the idea of having a kingdom, and what we would do if we were in a position be listened to by many. We designed crowns which represented the type of "king" we would be....

Ink Blown Tree Roots - Our Roots Run Deep

We talked, during our week where we were talking about wood and trees, about the idea f "roots" as a symbol for our support system and connection to the communities we claim as home.

Then, with green markers, we drew a grass line towards the top of the page and drew trees, plants and flowers on this line. below the line we used an straw and ink blowing technique to make colorful roots systems.

*In lieu of ink, we used watered down tempera paint...

River Driftwood Wood Dryads

We talk a considerable amount, up in her', about the environment and our role in conserving our beautiful world. We talked about the idea in many cultures' mythology, legends and faith traditions, there is a belief that trees are sentient or have souls/spirits.

Using gathered river driftwood pieces we designed our own "wood spirits". Students were asked to discuss and determine what special magical power their spirit would have and what their name was.

* We opened this activity by talking about our individual pieces of wood- what they might have been, what their story was about how they ended up on the river banks of Beacon, NY and what they might have seen.

Color Tag - English/Spanish

Color Tag is a big hit with our after school students, but we added a bilingual twist.

Basic color Tag: Students are put in teams, each with their own color. We used lanyard tied on their wrists to remind them of their color. Students went to either side of the gym.

Prior to color tag we had prepare construction paper signs with the names of the corresponding colors- on the from we wrote the name of the color in English, on the back, the name in Spanish.

Leader of the activity stands in the middle of the gym, and calls out the names of the colors in the Spanish as they hold up the corresponding color, The team whose color has been called runs to the opposite side of the gym and the student (s) who is/are the designated taggers try and tag the students before they reach home.

* With hold students you can have them say the names in the Spanish themselves.

"Earth" Collage Mural - Group Project

As a group, we gathered together and collected samples from our environment. I had unrolled a huge piece of paper and written the word "EARTH" on it in block letters. Together the students arranged their flowers, leaves, feathers, sea glass, rocks, twigs, grass and everything in between to fill in the letters.

The result: Beauty incarnated, poetry in motion (captured on camera)

Soda Bottle Planters

I found this activity online but I made adjustments, to suit our group.

We talked about how many things we think of as disposable can be used for another purpose. In this vein we used empty plastic soda bottles, cut off their tops, and created planters. We filled them with soil, added some grass seed, and went to town on the faces with the help of glue, self adhesive googly eyes and some foam.

Design your own dinosaur

During dinosaur week week gave chalk to the children and had them design their own dinosaur creations. Sidewalks give them the opportunity to make their creations as big as possible and their creations were very funny...and very relevant.

Dinosaur Landscape

Using Charcoal we created group murals of dinosaur landscapes. We talked about the climate during the time of the dinosaurs, the foliage which was present, and went to town! The result was magical!

Design Your Own Spirit Animals

Using prepared handouts outlining what features on animals are symbolic of skills and traits we have, design your own spirit animal, either using an actual animal as basis or creation your own entirely from scratch. We used Model magic as the medium to create our animales, and this is mine : A "Bella-phant" which is, as I explained, a magical elephant with a unicorn horn, named after my childhood nickname.

Love Banners

Using fabric, chopsticks, foam, googly eyes, popsicle sticks and Sharpie markers we created banners to give to our loves, or ourselves.

Directions: Super simple: Measure identical rectangles of fabric and fold over the top, glue in place so there is room for the chopstick/dowel to slip through for hanging. As soon as they're set, go to town and design away!

Handpainted Pumpkins

Using the fruits of the harvest of this season we created hand decorated pumpkins. We added glue, googly eyes, feathers, beads, stickers and everything under the sun to make some very wet but extremely festive holiday decorations.

Colors and numbers Game - En espanol

On prepared plates and with home made bean bags ( yeah I sewed myself), we played over and over this fun, simple game.

Wherever your bean bag lands you get the point son the plates- keep a tally and everybody has fun!

Rock Creatures and Habitats from gathered objects

We collected rocks, gave them their own special face and created habitats for them from rocks, wood, berries, flowers, leaves, pine cones and water chestnuts. The results? MAGICAL!

We read the book together "The world is not a rectangle" about the architect Zaha Hadid, and her buildings inspired by nature. Then we collected items and the children made dwellings for their rock creatures to live.

Mandalla Magnet

Using a compass, trace three rings with pencil on the center of a paper plate. Discuss, the concept of mandalas and then encourage your children to make patterns which are symmetrical using washable markers. Attach self adhesive magnet tape to the back of the magnet and hand up notes on your fridge to your heart's content.

Paper plate dream catchers

using paper plates as the frame, and yarn segments as the web, make dream catchers! Create strings of beads and feathers and live it up!

Suminigashi Birds

Cut bird shapes from rice paper and using Sumingasi have children marble the shapes and let them set.

Listening Shell

Taking basic sea shells have your children decoration them in whatever they desire (sharpie markers, self adhesive jewels, and google eyes work awesomely!) and then instruct them in the tradition of the "Native American Talking Sticks" these are "Listening shells", I which the person holding the shell must be heard by all those talking.